


And All Around, the Snow Fell

by jacksparrow589



Series: Unfurling Possibilities [1]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Anne finally figures out how she feels, Diana is the best wingman, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Pointless fluff, Self-indulgent fluff, Shirbert, kisses in the snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 04:00:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20960111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/jacksparrow589
Summary: Diana sees her chance to force Gilbert into walking Anne home in the snow. It's the day that everything changes.





	And All Around, the Snow Fell

**Author's Note:**

> The timing is a little ambiguous here, but I'm gonna say this would take place the same winter as the start of season 3. It couldn't, because we'd know if this happened. I hope. I just mostly want to make it clear there's no huge timeskip from where we are presently.

School was about to start. Anne was singing "The Holly and The Ivy" to herself again.

She did it when she didn't think she was being listened to, Gilbert noticed. He could understand why it was her favorite carol—he'd seen her gathering holly the other day after school to bring in for Miss Stacy. She'd stuck herself a few times, once badly enough to bleed. He'd considered offering to help, but he suspected he'd be turned down. She'd been doing that a lot lately—competing less (though more fiercely when she did) and getting flustered when he offered her any help. She wasn't this way with Diana or Ruby, or even Moody; it was just with Gilbert. He didn't want to hope, but it seemed more and more like she was acting like Ruby, whose own feelings for Gilbert were as clear as the stream that ran by the school.

"Josie!" Diana cried. "What would possess you?!" She slid into the seat next to Anne and hissed, "Anne! Anne! Josie's brought mistletoe to school!"

Anne looked up. "Really? You'd think she'd be a little less obvious about it, but I suppose not."

Josie laughed. "Really, Anne, I'd have thought even you would have someone you'd want to meet under it by now. But maybe the problem is nobody wants to meet y—"

Gilbert dropped his books onto a nearby desk with as loud a thud as he possibly could. "Oh, were you saying something? Sorry; go on." He crossed his arms.

Josie clearly got the warning in his tone. Instead, she turned to Ruby and offered her a clipping. Ruby took it and stared at Gilbert, frowning when she noticed his attention was already elsewhere.

Miss Stacy entered the classroom. "Good morning, everyone!" She saw the sprigs of mistletoe on Josie and Ruby's skirts. "I'm not sure why you thought this was appropriate to bring to school." She held out her hand. The girls sighed and handed the plant over. Miss Stacy tucked it behind the blackboard before turning around and announcing that they were going to work on sums. "I want you all to see the practical side of them, so you're going to write your own questions, but you're going to frame them as stories without endings, where figuring out the sum is what will end the story. Feel free to take inspiration from your own lives, your aspirations, and even this classroom! Craft them with your partner and share them with those around you. Begin."

* * *

The classroom was lively. Diana was laughing as Anne went off on yet another tangent of the story she was trying to concoct, re-framing it to suit their problem of interest.

Josie had been quiet for a while, but suddenly started speaking in an oddly loud voice. "If a red-headed orphan has no parents, no—" There was a loud cough from Gilbert. Josie shot him a confused glance but attempted to continue, "—no frien—" Gilbert coughed again "—friends and no beaus—" It was Diana who coughed this time, having realized the play. "How many people think she should just leave?"

The class fell silent. "Josie," Miss Stacy said slowly, "I am unsure of this problem's practical application, but I am quite certain you couldn't possibly be targeting someone in this class with your words? I think an essay on the perils of uncharitable words with an emphasis on how they make one less desirable as a friend to others is in order."

Anne, who had been frowning, ducked her head to laugh, while Diana caught Gilbert's eye and offered him a conspiratorial grin. His own smile wasn't as broad, but his slight nod told Diana she'd made the correct choice. Emboldened, she began to form a plan.

* * *

It was time to head home. Diana was on a tear to get all of her things together as quickly as possible.

"Diana!" Anne giggled as Diana accidentally knocked her own hat from her head. "What's the rush?"

"I—uh—my mother wants me home to practice piano. I've been neglecting it the past few days." She waited until Anne was getting her coat on to cast an anxious look at Gilbert, who was nearly out the door. "Good bye, Anne!"

Anne looked up, bewildered, as Diana made a beeline for the door, inexplicably tripped over her own feet, and dropped her things.

"Diana!" Anne hurried over to help her friend up.

Gilbert had dropped to one knee to help, as well, and Diana caught his elbow and jerked her head at Anne. He looked confused. Diana rolled her eyes and mouthed "walk with her". Gilbert seemed to at least comprehend her command, but still looked uncertain. Diana gave him an encouraging smile and thanked him and Anne for helping her before setting off.

Anne gathered up her things and set off, Gilbert not far behind. How did he let her know he wanted to walk with her without asking her outright? He supposed he probably should just ask, but things had been so oddly tense between them lately...

Without really thinking, he started whistling "The Holly and the Ivy". Anne stopped and whirled around, tracking Gilbert as he walked past. As he reached the end of the melody, he turned back to Anne. "Coming?"

Anne sped up to each him. "I suppose I should stop singing that?"

She was surprised when Gilbert looked almost hurt. "No! No, it's a lovely song. It's nice to hear it." He smiled hopefully.

Anne gave him a curious look, but her guard seemed to drop. She motioned him onward and they started to walk.

"If you were trying to tell me you noticed me singing," she started after a few minutes, "then I suppose I should tell you that I noticed what you and Diana were doing today." She paused, then said two words that stopped Gilbert in his tracks. "Thank you."

Gilbert was stunned for a moment, but recovered enough to respond, "It's just not fair that they make fun of you."

Anne shrugged. "I'm different. I'm used to it."

"That doesn't make it right." Gilbert sighed. "I still sometimes think about that first day we met, and I've never gotten the chance to properly apologise. I'm sorry, Anne."

Anne was almost smiling. "I suppose I should apologise for hitting you."

Gilbert shook his head and said with a laugh, "When I told Bash about it, he laughed and said I deserved worse. I don't think he's wrong."

Anne's nose wrinkled a bit as she smiled. "You told Bash about that?"

"I was telling him what Avonlea was like," Gilbert explained.

"No wonder he was surprised when he got here! Using me to give someone an impression of Avonlea is like..." Anne trailed off to think.

"Finding a rose in a cornfield," Gilbert supplied.

Anne blinked a few times, then looked away, her cheeks warming just a bit. "I'm not sure I'd say that."

"Well, now we both know I would." Gilbert walked over to her. "I mean it, Anne."

She looked up at him, searching his face. The wall that she'd let down started to come back up before crumbling completely. "Cole was right," she whispered. Her hands came up to her face. "He was right!" she said again, just a bit louder.

Gilbert was back to confused for the second time that afternoon. "What was Cole right about?" he asked, hope and fear rising in equal measure.

Anne looked up at him. "You... for me..." She tried several times but couldn't form the words.

It dawned on Gilbert what Cole must have said. "He told you I... have feelings for you?"

Anne nodded mutely before gaining the courage to speak again. "But you can't possibly..." She stared up at him for what felt like an eternity before her gaze darted back to the ground. "Oh, no, no, _no_," she whispered despairingly.

Gilbert placed his hands gently on her elbows, as Anne's hands were up by her mouth. "You don't...?"

Anne shook her head. "No, I _do_. But after the way I've treated you..."

Gilbert smiled warmly. "What have you done lately? At worst, you've been avoiding me. You haven't yelled; you've barely competed with me unless you've had to. Though I'll admit that worried me a bit..." He chuckled, and Anne managed a brief giggle. Her arms had fallen to her sides. Gilbert's hands took hers, and Anne looked up at him. "Anne..."

It was snowing.

Anne knew that if she didn't act quickly, she'd lose her courage. She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to Gilbert's in what was supposed to be a swift kiss. When their lips met, however, Anne realized she didn't want it to go quickly. She wanted time to stand still.

Gilbert didn't seem to disagree. He'd let go of Anne's hands to wrap one arm around her waist, the other just a bit higher on Anne's back to hold her close. She had in turn put one of her arms around his shoulders, and put her other hand on the side of his face.

Finally, Anne drew back with a short gasp. Gilbert didn't let go, instead pulling her in for another quick kiss before picking Anne up and whirling her around once, making her laugh.

“You've got snowflakes on your eyelashes,” he told her quietly.

“So do you,” Anne breathed back. “It's...”

“Breathtaking?” Gilbert finished.

Anne let out a soft laugh. “Yes.”

Their foreheads were touching. Suddenly feeling very shy, Anne cast her eyes downward. She made a small noise that quickly turned to a sigh when Gilbert tilted his head just a little to kiss her again. It was soft and sweet and all those wonderful things her books had said a kiss should be.

Neither of them was quite sure how long they stayed like that, but when they broke apart, they were both breathing just a bit more heavily.

“Breathtaking seems to be the general word for today,” Anne said quietly, making Gilbert chuckle yet again.

“Agreed.” He offered Anne his arm, which she took as they started walking again. “It wasn't what I expected,” he admitted, “But I should have known better than to think that it would be.”

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” Anne teased.

The look Gilbert gave her made her heart do more of a dance than it had already been. “Very much a good thing.” He squeezed Anne's arm.

Anne looked around. “I can certainly say that books don't do this justice. I'm beginning to rethink my stance on the ability of words to fully encompass the world.”

“I wouldn't go that far,” Gilbert replied. “There will always be things that words can't do justice, but, well, some things are worth trying anyway.”

Anne smiled helplessly and rested her head against Gilbert's shoulder for a few steps. It was cold. There was homework and chores to do. Nothing had changed, but at the same time, everything had. Everything was just a bit brighter, a bit happier. Anne sighed and looked back up at Gilbert, who was gazing adoringly down at her.

“Have you always looked at me like that?” she asked quietly, feeling quite shy.

“Most of the time,” he admitted.

“I wish I'd noticed it earlier,” Anne murmured. She thought for a moment. “From now on, I resolve to look at you with more adoration.”

Gilbert chuckled. “Look at me however you want. I fell in love with you before you stopped looking annoyed at me; I'll still love you even if you don't always look at me like I'm the only thing that matters.”

Anne stopped and stood stock-still. “_Love?!_” she whispered.

“Yes, love.” Gilbert gazed into her eyes. “I love you, Anne.”

“Oh...” Anne felt just a bit faint. “I...” She didn't know. Certainly, she felt strongly for him. Love was where her feelings were headed, and she certainly wasn't opposed to it, especially not after this afternoon, but were they there yet? “I think...” she said slowly, trying to make sense of it all, “...that there's a part of me that's loved you for a while, but I've only just started to realize it. It isn't at all how I thought it would be. It's unsettling, and complicated...” She looked up at him. “But how I feel now... I think it's much better than I'd ever imagined.”

Something in Gilbert's expression changed. Neither of them had realized it, but he'd been guarded. And now that Anne had been able to lay the truth bare, he wasn't, and neither was she. He leaned down to kiss her, and while it was still full of joy, it was a little more possessive, and a little less chaste. Anne's hands were both tangled in Gilbert's hair, while one of Gilbert's hands was threaded through Anne's hair (she vaguely realized that she was glad to have worn it down instead of in its customary braids today), and his other arm was around her waist again, pulling her as close as he could.

Reality spiraled away for some time. Fevered, breathless kisses slowly gave way to gentle pecks until at last, they were back to a warm embrace. Anne's head was tucked underneath Gilbert's chin except when he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Marilla's going to wonder where I am,” she said finally.

Gilbert very nearly murmured back “Let her wonder,” but both the implications of the statement and the realities of Avonlea winters made that a poor idea. Instead, he sighed, tightened his arms around Anne for a moment, then tucked her arm into his and continued along with her in silence, both of them wearing blissful smiles.

The snow was still falling.

It was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I swear I was going to end this after that first kiss. And then again after “Breathtaking?” “Yes.” And then the casual love confession happened and I just couldn't stop, guys. It's a problem. But man oh man, do I feel satisfied with this!


End file.
